Garment pocket ironing device



March 11, 1941. J. H. LEEF. 2,234,496

GARMENT POCKET IRONING DEVICE Filed July 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 21.1 Egg Jul/22102" 170/121 ff. Leaf 72213 Affor'we mp4 WM- r March 11,1941. -J. H. LEEF GARMENT POCKET IRONINGr DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2fizz/2. 21507" John H Leer 3% hisflfi' orizeyd WWW IIIIIIIIII LII/IIFiled July 27, 1940 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEGARMENT POCKET IRONING DEVICE John H. Leef, Minneapolis, Minn.Application July 27, 1940, serial No. 347,980

10 Claims. (01. 223-66) My present invention has for its purpose toprovide a simple and highly efficient garment ironing device especiallydesigned and particularly adapted for the ironing of pockets oftrousers; and generally stated, the invention consists of the noveldevices, combinations of devices and arrangement of parts hereinafterdefined in the claims.

Because of the peculiar shape of trouser pockets, it has been quitediificult to quickly and efficiently iron out and smooth the same bymeans of an ordinary iron usually provided. In the ironing or pressingof high grade trousers, the cost of ironing or pressing the pockets ofthe same is not a highly important matter, or at any rate, is taken careof by the usual charge; but in pressing 0r ironing overalls and workmenstrousers, the matter of cost is highly important, and the wholeoperation must be performed rapidly, efliciently and at small cost.

My present improved machine takes care of this last noted operation, towit; the pressing and ironing of overalls and the like so convenientlyand in such rapid order that the proper ironing or pressing of thepockets is performed at a cost that closely approaches nil.v

The improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing the improved machine; 7

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but shows overalls or trousersapplied to the device for simultaneous pressing or ironing of thepockets thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical front to rear section taken on the lines 3-3 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken onthe same line as Fig 3, but showing certainof the parts in different positions from those shown in Fig. 3 and someportions being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on the line 5-5of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail in section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on theline l--'I of Fig. 3.

This improved device is designed for the simultaneous pressing orironing of two pockets, and each pocket ironing device involves a hollowshell-like relatively fixed boot I0 and a relatively movable hollowshell-like cooperating boot ll. These boots are supported on the upperpor- 5 tion of a casing so that the boots are at the proper altitude forapplicationthereto of the pock- 'ets of the trousers or the garmentbeing treated.

. The relatively fixed boots, ID are formed with flanged bases that arebolted or otherwise rigidly secured to an elevated plate or table l2rig- 5 idly secured on the upper end of a'column or post l3, which atits lower end is, in this preferred structure, rigidly secured to a basel4. Preferably also, the lower portions of the device are located in asheet metal casing I5 supported by the base l4 and table 12.

Pockets of overalls and trousers are usually wider than their neck oropenings, and to adapt theboots Ill and H to fit the interior of suchpockets, the lower portions of said boots are preferably contracted atIll and II' respectively. 0r otherwise stated the lower portions of thesaid boots are contracted as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The base ofthe fixed boot I0 is shown as provided with depending integrally castlugs I6 through which is passed a rock shaft H, which at one end extendsto the exterior of the casing and is provided with anoperating arm l8having a heavyor weighted outer end l8. The movable boots H aresupported-by links l9, the 25 upper ends of which are pivotallyconnected thereto at 20, and the lower ends of which are provided withhubs I9 that are located between the lugs l6 and are pivoted on thecommon rock shaft l1; v

Secured on the rock shaft ll, by set screws 2|, are bifurcated rockers22, which in plan view is substantially U-shaped. These rockers embracethe cooperating lugs l6 and the transverse portions thereof stand inposition for engagement 5 with the outer surfaces of the links l9.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4, itwill be noted that the arm I8 ismovable from one side. to the other of a vertical line thatintersectsthe axis of rock shaft [1. By reference to Fig. 3 it will beseen that when arm I! is moved to the left of said vertical line, theupper edge of the transverse portion of rockers 22 will engage thecooperating links l9 and force the movable 45 boots into close contactwith the fixed boots; and by reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted thatwhen the arm I1 is moved to the right of the said vertical line, thelower edges of the transverse portion of the rockers 22 will operate on50 the depending lower ends of the links l9, and finally move the twomovable boots away from the cooperating fixed boots. Otherwise stated,the rockers 22 under one movement engage the cooperating links above andsupporting pivots,

pockets. The numeral 29 indicates a catch trough and under the othermovement operate on said links below their supporting pivots.

Preferably the depending ends of the links I9 are provided withadjustable stops in the form of screws 23 with which the rockersdirectly'engage. Movements of the rock shaft into rockers 22 tend toimpart like movements to the movable boots of both pocket ironingdevices, but to compensate for slightly different movements that may berequired for pockets of different size, said links 19 can be made ofspring metal so that the one movable boot may be given a slightlygreater movement than the other. Otherwise stated, the links when maderesilient afiord a simple and efficient yielding element between theboots and the common rock shaft.

In practice, the boots described will be steam heated, and this ispreferably accomplished, as shown. The numeral 24 indicates a steam boxshown as supported within the casing on the column l3. intake pipe 25and a return or drain pipe 26. From the steam box 24, steam pipe 21extends upward into the fixed boots [0, and steam delivery pipes 28,having flexible sections 28, extend from the steam box upward into themovable boots II.

In Fig. 4, the numeral y indicates a garment pocket shown as slippedover the cooperating boot.

Obviously, by easy manipulation of the arm 18, the movable boots can bemoved to and from positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and conversely. Whenthe boots are moved together as shown in Fig. 3, the pockets can beeasily slipped over the ironing boots. When the arm is set as shown inFig. 3, the weighted end of the arm will tend to hold the movable bootsagainst the fixed boots. When the arm is moved to the position shown inFig. 4, the movableboots will be separated from the fixed boots as faras permitted by the walls of the applied pocket. In the operation, itwill be customary first to press the arm so as to put the pocket underconsiderable strain, stretching and ironing the same, and then the armmay be released. 1

It will be noted that the movable boots II are pivoted to the upper endsof the links 19 so that they are capable of rocking movements to adaptthemselves to the taper or interior form of the or garment holdingdevice applied to the casing l5. In the above specification, the garmentpockets have been marked with a letter, small 11 but in Fig 2, thesepockets are shown as a 'part of a pair of overalls or like garment indiThis steam box is provided with an ing boot, a handle equipped rockshaft below said ironing device, a link pivoted on said rock shaft atits lower end and at its upper end pivotally connected to and supportingsaid relatively movable boot, and a rocker secured on said rock shaftand engageable with said link above its lower pivot to move said movableboot toward said fixed boot and engageable with said link below itspivot to move said movable boot from said fixed boot.

2. In an ironing apparatus, a pair of ironing devices each involvingfixed and relatively movable ironing boots, a handle-equipped rock shaftmounted below said ironing devices, links pivoted on said rock shaft attheir lower ends and at their upper ends pivotally connected to andsupporting said relatively movable boots, and rockers secured on saidrock shaft and engageable with said links above their lower pivots tomove said movable boots toward said fixed boots and engageable with saidlinks below said pivots to move said movable boots from said fixedboots.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said boots are hollow, andare combined with means for introducing steam thereinto.

4. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said boots are hollow, andare combined with means for introducing steam thereinto.

5. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said links are resilient sothat said movable boots are capable of differential movements away fromthe cooperating fixed boots.

6. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the handle of said rockshaft is a weighted arm that is movable from one side to the other of avertical line drawn through the axis of said rock shaft.

'7. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said boots have narrowedlower end portions adapting them to said pockets that have contractedopenings.

8. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the supporting means forsaid fixed boot includes a base, a column rising from said base and atable to which said fixed boot is directly secured.

9. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the support for said rockshaft includes a bracket depending from said fixed boot and in whichsaid rocker is approximately U-shaped and has spaced lugs that embracethe lower end of said link and are directly secured to said rock shaft.

10. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the supporting means forsaid fixed boot includes a base, a column rising from said base and atable to which sad fixed boot is directly secured, and a steamcontaining box supported by said base and having connections with therespective boots for delivery of steam thereto.

JOHN H. LEEF.

